Mattress-airing device



Nov. 24, 1925. 1,562,975

A. G. LEAKE MATTRESS AIRING DEVICE Filed oct. 27, 1922 2 sheets-sheet '1 ZZ? j ATTORNEYS Nov. 24 1925.

A. G. LEAKE MATTRESS AIRING DEVICE i922 2 sheetssheet 2 Filed om. 27,

INVENToR .//J'J/zaf Glad/ne ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. Zf-t, 192251.

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ARTHUR Gr. LEAKE, F BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

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Application filed October 2.7, 1922. Serial No. 597,431.

tresses may be conveniently supported, in,

irmanneri tobe thoroughly. aired, being particularly adaptedfor use in hospitals, where it isdesirable to frequently dry and air the mattresses. of patients. 'lt is proposed to provide a device oi this character by means of which a plurality of mattresses may be simultaneously aired, and `so constructed. that a: single attendant; can place the mattresses therein or remove them conveniently. A further object is to provide a structure in which the action` of the wind will serve to change the positions of the several mat tresses` carried therein, so that all sides thereof may be subjected to the full effect of the air and sun.

VViththe above and other objects in view, an embodiment oi' the invention is shownin the accompanying drawings, and this embodinientv will` be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto andthe invention will be inally pointedout inthe claims.

l'n the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, and showing two mattresses supported therein;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper end of the apparatus, and showing the mattress supports in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the upper portion;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line e-Li oit' Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail front view o1E the hinge and latch structure for the closure frames of the mattress supports; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of the latch.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the device comprises a central vertical post 10, rigidly mounted at 11 upon a base 12, and provided at its upper end with a anged collar 13,

secured by, rivets 141, and rotatably supporting the 'flanged-hub 15 of therotatzjiblematr tress supporting frame,v anti-t`riction balls 16 being interposed between the hub and collar in raceways 17, so that the traine will rotate freely and with the minimumy otre sistance.

'.lhe iframe is supported upon the hub 15 and a second hub 18, the latter spaced above the hub and rotatable upon the post; and consists of plates 19 andQO secured to the respective hubs 15 and 18, four. radially disposed arms 21 secured to the plate 19, and

braces 22 secured between the plate QO'and the radial arms, vertical struts 23 being` connected between the braces and the arms.

As clearly shown in Fig. Qthev arms each comprise a pair of parallely spaced angle bars, and preferably four rightl angle pieces are provided, the corner connecting portions 24 of which are secured by rivets 25 to the plate 19, the legs of each right angle piece forming a side of two adjacent arms'21. The braces are similarly formed," the right angle pieces having connectingcorner portions Qta, connected. to the plate 2O by rivets 25a. The connection pieces 26 between the braces and the arms-.serve to space the `bars apart at the outer ends so that the armsQl are thereby slotted.

rlhe mattress containers supported upons the respective arms are of identical forni, so` that, Jor convenience,` only one will be described in detail. Thisis of rectangular. form, and consists of vertical parallel side bars 27, 2S and 29, 30 and horizontal parallel end bars 31, 32 and 33, 34.- connected by corner brackets 35. At the rear a grid of vertically and horizontally arranged strips 3G is provided, and cross pieces 37 connect the vertical side bars at suitable intervals. A wire mesh bottom 38 is provided between the lower end bars 33 and 34 to support the lower end of the mattresses and at the front end lower portion of the container a retaining frame is provided, comprising a horizontal strip 39 spaced in parallel relation from the bar 34, and a pair of vertical strips 40 and 41-1 extending between the strip 39 and the bar 33, and is adapted to support the lower portion of the mattress. rlhe mattress is retained in place by a hinged frame at the :front of the container, and which comprises a pair of horizontal angle bars l2 and t3 connected by vertical strips la and 45, the bars being hinged at mi OU vertical side bar by means of pins #i6 in the bars 42 and 43, rotatably engaged in angle brackets 47 secured to the bar 30, the other ends of the bars 42 and adapted to rest upon lugs or cleats i8 secured to the vertical side bar 28, and being` secured in place by pivoted latches 49 (Figs. 5 and G). These latches are gravity actuated, havingbeveled camming edges 50, which serve to lift them as the hinged frame is swung closed. Stop pins 5l limit the downward movement of the latches.

Upon the inner sides of the strips ad and elthere are mounted elongated bowed strips 52 secured at their ends to the strips lei and a5, and supported at their central portions by spacing` members The containers are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the arms, and for this purpose are provided with a plate -lconnected centrally to the bars Ell and 32 and having an upwardly extending shaft 55 disposed in the space between the bars forming the arms, and positioned by transverse pins 56 and 57. A collar 58 provided on the shaft beneath lock nuts 59 rests upon the upper surface of the supporting' arm and thereby supports the container. This construction enables the containers to have a limited swiveling movement and a tree rotary movement.

In operation, the attendant inserts the lower end of the mattress in the lower end of the container behind the strips 39, Ll() and stl, and thereupon swings the hinged closure trame into closed position, the latches 49 automatically falling into retaining` rela tion. The pressure exerted upon the mattress by the bowed strips 52 secured retains the same in place, preventing` it from slipping,` down in the container. The action of the wind upon the mattresses, which may one end upon the be said to be in the nature of sails, causes the containers tobe rotated about the central post 10, and at the same time swung about the swivel supports at the ends of the arms 2l. All surfaces of the mattresses are subjected to the action of the air and sun and are therefore thoroughly aired and dried in a minimum of time.

If desired the containers may be hung upon an overhead trolley or track in place of the reif'olving arms.

l have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

l claim l. ln an airing device for mattresses and the like, a vertical support, a rotatable mattress supporting frame thereon, and a vertical mattress container rotatably suspended irom said frame, said mattress container consisting ol a rectangular grid-form adapted to surround the edges of a mattress and a grid-form rear side and a hinged grid- :form front side adapted to support a mattress uprigl'itly in said container, whereby a mattress can be easily placed into and removed from said container to be wholly eX- posed to air and sun, and can serve as a member in the nature of a sail adapted to cause the container to revolve on its own pivot and about said support by the action of breezes upon the mattress.

2. rllhe combination as speciiied in claim l, wherein the container is rotatably mounted to have limited swivelingl movement upon the frame, for the purpose described.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county or' Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 26th day of October, A. D. 1922.

ARTHUR Gr. LEAKE. 

